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Alice Li

News of Washington targeting Chinese companies is a familiar storyline for social media users in China. However, the latest batch of US import restrictions still brought a fresh surprise by moving beyond advanced tech to everyday pantry staples, blacklisting Chinese snack producer ChaCha Food and frozen-dim-sum maker Synear Food.
A wave of disbelief has swept through Chinese social media. Commenters said the decision was “ridiculous”, while sarcastically questioning how common Chinese food somehow became Washington’s newest national security threat.
“It seems the US has truly reached the end of its rope,” said one user in the comment section of a post by state-run China News reporting the sanction. “This is completely ridiculous.”
“He who has a mind to beat his dog will easily find a stick,” wrote another.
“Does the US government think the spiced sunflower seeds are biochemical weapons now?” asked one commenter, referencing the products by ChaCha Food, which is known for its seasoned nuts and roasted seeds.
In another video posted by official media China Daily on Douyin – China’s domestic version of TikTok – an internet user wrote that “it’s hard to believe that frozen dumplings from Synear and roasted seeds from ChaCha are now viewed as equal threats to American interests alongside tech giants like Huawei Technologies and DJI”.
“Or maybe,” joked another user in the comment thread, which had over 5,000 replies, “the US is just worried our seeds taste too good and everyone will get addicted.”
In late July, the US Department of Homeland Security announced the addition of another 43 Chinese companies to its Uygur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) Entity List – for a total of 187 firms and an increase of 30 per cent.
The measures, which took effect on Monday, represented the single largest expansion in the list’s history, according to the US Department of Homeland Security.
It effectively bans American imports of products from targeted companies unless there’s conclusive evidence to refute the allegations of forced labour.

In a government filing detailing the decision, Washington cited ChaCha Food for sourcing agricultural products – including red dates, seeds, and nuts – from the western Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, while Zhengzhou-based Synear in central Henan was blacklisted for using Uygur and other “persecuted” minority groups as labourers.
Beijing, which has repeatedly denied allegations of forced labour in the region, pushed back against the expanded ban on Saturday.
In a statement, the Ministry of Commerce called the additions “completely lacking in factual basis” and described the move as a “classic act of economic coercion”.
“We will do whatever is necessary to protect the rights and interests of Chinese firms,” said the ministry.
The latest import blacklist additions arrived on the heels of a sequence of restrictions by Washington targeting China, even as both sides prepare for President Xi Jinping’s expected visit to the US next month.
Public pushback quickly spilled onto the official Weibo page of the US Embassy in China as well, where hundreds of users flooded the comment section beneath its announcement of the expanded blacklist.
Many dismissed the enforcement as “sheer nonsense” while one user posted a photograph of four bags of ChaCha seasoned sunflower seeds, writing that he had bought them specifically to support the brand – and thanking Washington for the product recommendation.
Neither ChaCha nor Synear has replied to requests for comment by the South China Morning Post.
Both brands maintain an international presence, including in the US market. However, overseas sales – spanning nearly 70 countries and regions – accounted for less than 9 per cent of ChaCha’s total revenue in 2025, according to the company’s latest annual report.
Synear, meanwhile, has taken a localised approach to the American market, establishing a US manufacturing facility back in 2015 to supply local consumers directly.
Its frozen dumplings and pastries are stocked on the shelves of major supermarket chains nationwide, including Costco, 99 Ranch Market, and H Mart, according to the company.


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The latest batch of Washington’s import restrictions – targeting snack firms – is creating quite a stir among China’s social media users


The latest batch of Washington’s import restrictions – targeting snack firms – is creating quite a stir among China’s social media users.


Chinese netizens mock US blacklisting of food brands over forced-labour claims

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}The latest batch of Washington’s import restrictions – targeting snack firms – is creating quite a stir among China’s social media users

The latest batch of Washington’s import restrictions – targeting snack firms – is creating quite a stir among China’s social media users